Happily Ever After
by Mirandabelle
Summary: Renamed, used to be Mrs Winchetser, but here is the final installment
1. Please Stay With Me

September - November 1954  
  
I dashed out of bed and into the bathroom. I barely had time to get my head over the toilet before I was throwing up violently.  
  
"Hey baby, I guess you really are in there, and you sure know how to make mummy sick!" I addressed my stomach. I glanced behind me, Charles was sound asleep. He hadn't seemed to notice the past week when I'd been out of bed vomiting as soon as my eyes opened. I went and got back into bed, stroking Charles's face gently.  
  
"Wake up Charlie dear, I've got something to tell you." Charles opened his eyes sleepily and smiled at me.  
  
"Good morning my sweet." He sat up. I'd gone back to the Cove, but moved to Boston soon afterwards, Ben, Felicity and my dogs, Captain and Glory in tow, and I'd been living with the Winchesters for nearly two months.  
  
"You remember how we've been discussing starting a family once we're married?" I smiled, our discussions often turned out to be a lot more.  
  
"Of course my sweet."  
  
"Well, we're going to be starting a family a whole lot sooner, I think I'm pregnant."  
  
"Annabelle, what brilliant news! Are you sure?" Charles kissed me.  
  
"As sure as morning sickness the past week makes me. I'm going to say that I'm due round about May 13."  
  
"How truly wonderful! I guess it just happened because our heart was in it."  
  
"Yeah, we want children, so the Lord saw to fit to bless us with one, goodness, I'll be four months gone when we marry!" We'd planned the wedding, a huge event for January 6 1955.  
  
"Well, we can have it sooner before Christmas, or after you've given birth." Charles offered.  
  
"No, we don't need to worry about that." A yell came from the nursery. Ben and Felicity were awake, and I brought them into our bed for a cuddle.  
  
"They're beautiful Annie, and Felicity looks so much like you." Charles admired his nearly 6mo stepchildren.  
  
"Ben looks just like his daddy though, oh there's a clever boy!" Ben had gotten onto his hands and knees and was rocking a little, but not crawling.  
  
Nora came in with a knock and smiled at the family cuddle that was going on.  
  
"Mother and I will feed and bath the kids this morning if you like Annie, remember you and Charles both have work." Charles was at Boston Mercy, and I went in with him two days a week. I helped wherever I was needed, on rounds, or even in the OR, I wasn't paid, as it was mostly to keep me busy and allow Diana and Nora to spoil the babies rotten without me intervening.  
  
"Just Annie and me and baby makes . . . five we're happy in my, Blue Heaven!" Charles was happily singing as he shaved, while I showered, singing something completely different, but equally off-key.  
  
"Do you want to tell your family?" I asked, I'd decided most of my side could wait until the wedding. We were doing a round in the hospital as I talked.  
  
"No, Father will insist that we marry sooner. I am sure that he will notice eventually, especially if you were anything like you were in your first trimester with the twins"  
  
"What do you mean?" I asked nonchalantly.  
  
"You could cry at the drop of a hat, you ate enough to give Radar a good run for his money, the insomnia, the exhaustion, oh and then your constant griping about breast pain, and you had extreme morning sickness very early on." Charles laughed, before turning towards his patient. I smiled, and kept going.  
  
"Miss Anne, a Mr Honnicut telephoned while you were out, he says that he'd like you to call him at San Francisco General Hospital as soon as you're available." Clarissa informed us as soon as we'd got home.  
  
"The hospital?" I echoed, she handed me the piece of paper with the phone number on it. I went into the kitchen and rang BJ at once, even though both Ben and Felicity were shouting for dinner.  
  
"Hello, Dr Honnicut." I'd been put through to the brand-new Chief Surgeon's office.  
  
"Beej, it's Anne, why did you want me to ring?"  
  
"Oh, Anne-girl, thank goodness! Peggy's gone into labour, and it's taking forever, the baby is breech, and we're not sure if the baby will make it."  
  
"BJ, oh my gosh, Peggy's not due till October 4, that's 3 weeks early!"  
  
"Annie, I'm so worried. What if the baby . . . or Peggy . . . she's been in labour since 2am." BJ 's voice trembled. Nora brought in Felicity and sat her on my lap, complete with a bowl and spoon of mashed pumpkin, and a couple of bread crusts for her to chew. I dipped a crust in pumpkin and handed it to her.  
  
"I know you've been pushed into the waiting room and have no idea what's going on, but just settle down and remember that Peggy's going to be fine, because you know in your heart you wouldn't have let her go with anyone but the best. Easy Felicity." I stopped her from throwing her bread crust.  
  
"Are you busy Anne?" I shoved the phone under my ear so both hands were free.  
  
"I'm feeding Felicity, she's loving her pumpkin." I gave her a spoonful of the warm orange mash.  
  
"I'll let you go. Annie, besides I'm holding up the hospital's phone, and you're paying."  
  
"Okay, just don't worry. Peggy will be fine, and so will your baby. Give me a call as soon as that baby's out."  
  
"I will, bye Anne-girl, give the kids a hug from me."  
  
"And one for Erin!" We hung up and I turned my attention to my daughter. If I went out and missed giving her lunch, I was the only one who could giver her dinner as far as she was concerned. Ben was the same and Charles was trying to keep him occupied.  
  
"What did BJ want?" He asked, wrestling with little BJ who was trying to kamikaze dive out of his arms. I explained the situation and finished feeding Felicity. I swapped to feeding BJ, while Charles gave Felicity a bottle.  
  
Charles and I were both anxious and didn't talk much, just staring at the telephone. Felicity and BJ were grumpy, being in the earliest stages of teething and their whinging added to the tension.  
  
"I'll take them upstairs for a bath." I said at last, Charles decided he'd come too, and the four of us were soon settled very comfortably in a hot bubble bath. It helped soothe the babies and they started to drift off. I heard the phone ring, and Charles and I shared glances, preparing to get out to answer it. Clarissa took the call, and while she did, I admired my chubby infants, thanking God that they had been very little trouble to bring into the world.  
  
"That was Mr Honnicut, he says Mrs Honnicut is still in labour, he was just calling to let you know. If you please Master Charles, I took the liberty of saying that he could call back any hour." Charles acknowledged Clarissa and she left, placing some warm towels and Charles's and my terrycloth robes on the bench as she went.  
  
Charles got out, put on his robe, and took Ben out of the bath. I waited until Ben was wrapped in a towel, before handing Felicity over as well. I got out, put on my robe and we went into the nursery where I gave the babies a bedtime feed, they had a bottle with lunch and dinner, but morning, night and naptime were still required feeds.  
  
They were quite ready to go to sleep, and Charles and I went back downstairs, where we played bridge against Charles Senior and Diana. Nora was playing a very pretty piece on the piano, and when his parents retired, we busied ourselves by listening to Nora's playing. It had gotten late, almost midnight, and she went to bed too.  
  
After a half-hearted hour of listening to Bach, Charles and I decided that we'd keep ourselves busy by cuddling onto the couch and teasing each other with sweet, suggestive nothings.  
  
"Maybe we should go to bed, BJ probably won't ring now." Charles suggested, kissing the very tip of my nose right as the phone started to ring. I snatched it up.  
  
"BJ?"  
  
"Oh Annie, Annie, thank god, she's here, a beautiful 10lb 15oz baby girl. She's so big!"  
  
"It's a girl Charlie dear, 10lbs 15oz!" I relayed the news to Charles and he seemed relieved and pleased. "Does she have a name yet?"  
  
"Amy-Jane Honnicut."  
  
"Hmm, I think I've heard that name before. Does she have a middle name and how's Peggy?"  
  
"Asleep, took 24 hours to give birth. Amy-Jane won't have a middle name. We think Amy-Jane is perfect alone."  
  
"It's lovely, look, I'll let you go, you sound half-dead!"  
  
"I'm not used to staying awake for 24 hours solid anymore."  
  
"Neither am I, we all send our congratulations, take care of yourself, and if I can, I'll come across and see Amy-Jane as soon as I'm available." I hung up, and yawned. Charles had a celebratory brandy, and I fell asleep before I made it upstairs, and I was left to sleep on the sofa, and go up to bed when I was ready.  
  
Another phone call the next morning had Charles and I out of bed at 8. It was Hawkeye, he was going to see the baby, Margaret was going, and would I complete the quartet? I agreed at once, wanting to see Amy. I was taking the twins, but Charles couldn't come. Margaret was now Head Nurse, and was able to take time off if she wanted.  
  
I caught a train up to Portland the next day, and after meeting Margaret and Hawkeye, we were at the airport, bound for Mill-Valley. We arrived late, just after 11, and decided to lob on BJ the next day, so we headed to a hotel, that we'd conveniently forgot to book.  
  
"I only have one room with a double bed." The receptionist told us apologetically. "I can have cribs bought up for the babies, but that's the best I can do."  
  
"We can sleep in the same bed, we've managed before, well Annie, Trapper and I did, on one bunk, so I think we can survive thankyou." Hawkeye smiled handing over some cash. The receptionist bemusedly got the bellboy to show us to our room and set up somewhere for the twins to sleep.  
  
"Okay, how will we do this?" I asked, after we'd washed and changed into our pyjamas  
  
"Hawkeye in the middle?" Margaret suggested with a grin.  
  
"No, I couldn't breathe between you," Hawkeye said, his eyes already hinting on panic.  
  
"Okay, I'll go in the middle. I'm the smallest, I guess it makes sense" We crawled into bed and fell asleep almost instantly.  
  
I woke the next morning and fought the urge to vomit. Margaret was sprawled beside me, an arm thrown over my stomach. Hawkeye was pushed to the edge of the bed and was asleep on his stomach, his face buried in my hair. I crept out, and threw up as quietly as I could, and by the time I'd showered, Hawkeye and Margaret had woken.  
  
Hawkeye went and showered, while Margaret and I ordered room service for breakfast. It was just delivered when Hawkeye got out of the shower, wearing white shorts and his Hawaiian shirt. After eating, Margaret got ready and the twins woke up. Sometime later we were ready and caught a bus to the hospital.  
  
"Are your children under twelve months old?" The matron asked. Children of no relation who where more than a year and younger than eight were not allowed in the maternity ward.  
  
"Yes, six months today." I replied. I couldn't believe that it had been six months since I'd spent 18 hours getting them out of me alive and well.  
  
"Very well, I'll see if Mrs Honnicut will see you." She made us wait outside a room, and returned after a minute.  
  
"Mrs Honnicut is asleep, and Mr Honnicut isn't here, however, Nurse Brigham can show you to the nursery and you can view the baby. We followed the nurse, and she pointed out Amy-Jane. The baby appeared quite healthy, despite being born three weeks prem. We couldn't hold her as the mother or father had to be present. So we just admired Amy-Jane a little longer and decided we'd go and get a coffee when BJ turned up, very glad to see us.  
  
"Annie, Margaret and Hawkeye! Thanks for coming!" BJ was leading Erin who wrapped her arms around my legs. I handed Felicity to Margaret and BJ to BJ so I could pick her up.  
  
"Annie Belle!" She crowed, cuddling her dark head against me. She called me Aunty Belle like Corey did, but aunty often came out Annie. "See, my sissa, Amy, like you, Annie Marg! Uncle Hawke! I's is a big sissa now!"  
  
"That's all she talks about being a sister." BJ laughed, handing Hawkeye his son so he could take his daughter as Nurse Brigham brought her out. The baby was sound asleep.  
  
"We'll walk back to Peg's room okay? Come on down Erin, you must be awfully heavy for Aunty Belle." The little girl slid down with ease, taking her father's free hand. BJ showed us back to Peggy's room, she had woken now, and was glad to see us. We sat around and talked for so long, we lost track of the time.  
  
"We'll be back after lunch okay, the kids aren't going to wait much longer." Felicity was chewing my finger and looking distressed while Ben was crying outright. We hurried downstairs to the cafeteria and watched as they chewed their way through a banana each.  
  
We stayed in the hotel for another two nights, by which time Peggy and Amy were out of hospital. After seeing them home and settled in we decided we'd better get back, Daniel was lonely without Hawkeye, and Margaret had only taken four days off.  
  
I arrived back in Boston about a week after I left, as I spent a night in Portland with Margaret. Charles was very pleased to see the twins and I; and he met me at the airport with a bunch of roses, and a big kiss.  
  
The next 'event' planned was Charles's 36th birthday, where I'd get to meet his relatives, and our engagement would be properly announced. Although Charles's actual birthday was Halloween, I'd promised to go back to the Cove's Halloween Celebration so his party was November 7. Hawkeye and Daniel were going to sit for the kids for the week so I didn't need to bring them to the party, giving them some real time to get to know the twins.  
  
"Oh. Groucho!" I groaned as Hawkeye and Daniel emerged from their bedrooms identically dressed. I rolled my eyes and took off my robe. Hawkeye and Daniel's eyes visibly popped.  
  
"Wow!" I was wearing a red silk dress that reached my ankles. The skirt was full, and slit halfway up to my thigh. In the slit you could see layers of ruffled black lace and the shine of nylon stockings. The bodice was pretty tight fitting and reasonably low-cut, and a hint of black lace added a little colour to the neckline. The sleeves were tight until the elbows from where they fell loosely to my wrists.  
  
"Thanks guys," I smiled demurely, "But you ain't seen nothing yet!" I had a towel wrapped around my head and I pulled it off with a flourish. Loose, black curls fell around my shoulders. Daniel and Hawkeye just stared, even the twins playing on the floor were quiet.  
  
"It's a wig!" I laughed after a shocked silence, reaching under to pull a blonde lock out. They looked relieved.  
  
"That's very, south of the border, but it looks great!" Hawkeye smiled as we walked to the party, which was on the public beach. A huge bonfire was burning and loud music played from somewhere.  
  
"What are you waiting for? Let's have some fun!" Hawkeye cheered. I smiled, and left the babies at the Moss's house, that was the crèche for the evening, with the Moss's daughters looking after any children under five. They were dependable girls, the youngest was 14, knowing my kids were safe, I began to have a whole lot of fun.  
  
"Annie, whatever did you do to your hair?" Charles cried as I met him at the airport.  
  
"It's a wig Charlie dear!" I laughed, pulling it off. Charles looked relieved, I couldn't believe so many people got so upset by the thought of me dying my hair black. It made it almost tempting to actually do it, but I decided I wouldn't, after all I was properly meeting Charles's family very soon.  
  
"This is Annabelle Dawson." Charles introduced me politely to some people. "Annie this is my aunt and uncle Wilhelmina and Philip Winchester."  
  
"Pleased to meet you." I politely shook their hands. I could tell already in the way they smiled at me, that they weren't impressed by me, I was hardly the type of woman they would approve of, as many of them knew about my previous marriage and the twins.  
  
"Annie this is my cousin Joan." I shook hands with her and her husband. They too were extremely condescending.  
  
The whole superiority thing continued most of the night; relatives often laughed at me, and told Charles I was 'sweet' while some casually remarked on the fact that I'd already married once as though it was some serious sin.  
  
"So Annabelle, where did you grow up?" A rich old uncle, I'd forgotten his name asked.  
  
"Portland, Maine." I replied.  
  
"Oh, Portland, well, well, well, look at this Elaine, haven't been to Harvard, or even Yale, and you grew up in Portland, what is Charles thinking in marrying you?"  
  
"Portland is wonderful town, I'm very proud I grew up there!" I replied with as much dignity as I could.  
  
"Well, well, well! We are a pretty little thing, and such a spitfire too. What a sweet girl, Charles will have fun with you!" He patted my head, blowing cigar smoke in my face.  
  
"Hush Howard, leave her alone, she is very sweet. She'll be a wonderful mother." Elaine, his wife remarked. Tears stung in my eyes, and turned and left them without even thinking about it.  
  
"Nora, tell Charles I had to go." I said, when I ran blindly into her. I collected my coat, and went outside, and got a taxi. I heard Charles's surprised voice as I climbed in the taxi and it drove away.  
  
The cab driver was very nice, gave me a few tissues and then he brought me a coffee and asked where I wanted to go. I had calmed down, but I knew I couldn't face going to Charles's again. So I gave him Trapper's address, and in a few minutes I was outside Trapper's apartment.  
  
"Annie, oh what's wrong, come on in." Trapper had pulled me into the room, and hugged me to his chest until I quieted down. He sat me on the couch and I began to talk.  
  
"Trapper they're all so patronising! 'She's sweet' and 'she'll be a good mother' that's just the women and the men are even worse! Patting me on the head and saying I'm a pretty little thing! Acting as though I don't know anything because I wasn't at Harvard!"  
  
"Steady on Annie beautiful, they're just reacting to a new person in a pretty typical way. You're a stranger; it's their job to make you feel as uncomfortable as possible. I mean look at how we always reacted to a new nurse."  
  
"You and Hawkeye would've chased her." I gave a laugh. Trapper smiled at my teary face and offered me a tissue.  
  
"We teased her a bit, gave them a hard time, to get through their formality. Like you, how we teased you a little before we went to the aid station."  
  
"Yeah but they were being serious. They really don't think I'm good enough for him."  
  
"You know, if anything they're not good enough for you, and I only know one person who is, he's up in Maine with your kids right at this moment."  
  
"Don't go there Trapper." I silenced him; he hugged me to soothe me.  
  
"Do you want me to drive you home?" Trapper asked after a few quiet minutes where I just sat with him, holding him like the old days when I was an unmarried, virginal Lieutenant and he was my technically married big brother.  
  
"I can't go back and face them all yet. Do you mind if I sleep on the sofa?"  
  
"On one condition, I'm allowed to call Charles." I agreed to that. "Well, I'll find you something to sleep in."  
  
"You still have these? I don't believe it! Mind you I still have all my things too." Trapper had produced a very familiar pair of shorts and a t- shirt, both in an unappealing shade of olive drab.  
  
"They're great when you have an unexpected guest." I went into the bathroom and changed into the big shirt and shorts. I hung my dress up on the back of the door, unpinned my hair and removed the makeup. I came back out, and I settled down on the couch, and fell asleep while Trapper rang Charles.  
  
I stirred a bit later when I heard a familiar rounded accent. "Thankyou for calling me John, I truly was going out of my mind." It was Charles, but I lay quietly, pretending to be asleep.  
  
"Shh, she's asleep on the sofa." The men came in the room.  
  
"Did she tell you why she . . .?" Charles's voice was anxious.  
  
"Come on into the kitchen, let her sleep." Trapper and Charles left and I went to sleep properly. I was left to sleep there the rest of the night. I had to go and meet Hawkeye in Portland to pick up the twins, and I dressed in something Trapper found for me. I was driven to the train station, and after picking up the twins I returned to Boston to sort things out with Charles.  
  
"Annie, I'm sorry you feel that way." Charles said.  
  
"I can't be this person they want, I can't be a Winchester Charles dear, do you understand? I'm ever so happy with you, but that's as far as it goes. I'm really sorry"  
  
"Don't be, you can only be who you are. I'd feel the same were I in your place."  
  
"I'm sorry, but I really want to go back to the Cove. I'm not cut out for Boston."  
  
"Oh Annie, but I can't leave Boston."  
  
"You can't leave and I can't stay," I gave a small, rueful laugh. "Oh the irony of it. Yet we thought we were perfect for each other and we're having child. How can our baby ever grow up 'normally' when mummy can't live where daddy can't leave?" Charles bit his lip.  
  
"Annie, please, I love you very much, stay, don't be another Martine, please don't." Charles begged, and at the thought of beautiful, bohemian Martine, the only other woman he had loved this much, tears came to his eyes.  
  
"Charles, they hate me, they obviously don't approve of me as a Winchester, don't make me stay and live like that. Don't put me through what Martine would have gone through." I was on the verge of tears now as well.  
  
"Annabelle, I love you, you don't know what the prospect of watching the only one you've ever loved walk away from you is like." Charles said, openly crying now. It set me off too and I began to cry in a flood of salty tears.  
  
"Dammit Charles! I do know! I made a mistake once too and the only person I had ever, EVER loved walked away from me, I know what it's like Charles!" I shouted.  
  
"Annie, don't go, please don't go, stay with me, we can work things out with my family, a lot of them have already apologised for their behaviour anyhow."  
  
"Why should I stay Charles?" I shouted again. At that point, for some reason my shouting at him snapped something and he approached me menacingly, taking me by the shoulders and shaking me.  
  
"Because you stupid woman, I love you!" He yelled right in my face, azure eyes ablaze.  
  
"Don't you ever touch me like that again!" My hand flew up and slapped him hard across the face, and then at that point we both let go, shocked, stunned and ashamed, Charles's face reddened and not necessarily from my slap.  
  
"I'm terribly sorry Anne, and I understand if you want to go now." He swallowed, and opened the door slowly, letting me leave. Nothing, not even the resurrection of my twin brother could have made me leave the house at that point. Charles's unashamed outburst of raw passion kept me glued to the spot, it was what I needed. I knew then that he loved me and that there was no way in the world it was going to change.  
  
"Stay with me Annie." He whispered, meeting my eyes with a loving, sorry gaze. "I shouldn't have acted the way I did, I am so incredibly sorry for shaking you like that. Don't leave me, please." A last, final plea, a desperate attempt as I stood still, not moving an inch.  
  
"I couldn't go now." I rushed to his embrace, choking back tears. He wrapped his arms around me, tightly murmuring endearments and promises, vowing never to hurt me that way again.  
  
"I love you." He said at last, putting me at arms length to study my face, tearstained, but alight with love and joy.  
  
"And I love you Charlie dear." I said. He kissed me then, pulling me closely against his body.  
  
"Come to our room Annie." He whispered huskily when we broke apart, sparks flying.  
  
"What about your family?" I protested lightly following him willingly. "They'll want to know if I'm staying."  
  
"They can find out in time." He pushed the door to our room open to find Clarissa dusting. She gave an apologetic squeak as she scuttled out, closing the door behind her. The squeak I gave was of a decidedly different nature as Charles pushed me onto the bed. 


	2. The Wedding

A/N: Thanks to Heaven's littlest Angel, Redlady and Princess Pixie Sugar Stix for reviews!  
  
Christmas 1954  
  
"Well, I am very glad you decided to stay." One of Charles's relatives apologised for her husband's behaviour.  
  
"I'm glad too, I'm very happy here." I smiled across the room at my future husband. It was a large Christmas party, and there were many people here, a lot I'd met before, but many I didn't know. Charles caught the smile and came across the room, sliding an arm around my waist.  
  
"I was just saying how wonderful it is that Annabelle decided to stay with you." She smiled. "I'm very happy that she decided to stay."  
  
"Not as elated as I was when she said she would stay Aunt Elaine." Charles smiled.  
  
"Of course not. I love your dress Annabelle, it's beautiful who made it?" If you were of any importance you got all your clothes made specially.  
  
"Well I did." I admitted with a laugh. The dress wasn't overly fancy, just a slim, straight dress of pale mauve, hiding any pregnancy changes. My hair was pulled away from my face and amethyst earrings, a welcome-back gift from Nora, fell from my ears. The matching necklace a gift in the same sprit from Diana hung at my throat.  
  
"You are very clever! Charles, you picked your wife very well." Elaine smiled.  
  
"Thankyou Aunt Elaine." Charles and I said simultaneously, blushing. The party went on merrily, and everyone it seemed approved of me as a future Winchester now, despite the 8year difference, he was 36 while I was 28.  
  
I lay against him that night, while he lazily stroked my hair. I felt more comfortable and safe than I had in a long time, in fact, the safest since I'd been divorced.  
  
"Are you aware my darling, that it is only 12 days until we wed?" Charles murmured. I sighed a sleepy reply.  
  
"Tired my love?" Charles asked with a soft laugh.  
  
"Partied out you could say Charlie dear." I replied.  
  
"Shh, sleep my sweet." Charles kissed my head, and soon, safe in his adoration, I fell asleep.  
  
Not surprisingly, the 12 days to our wedding passed quickly, with all the massive preparations, it was a Winchester wedding and had to be big. My family also arrived just after New Year so they could see the wedding and they were staying with us. Chris, Jeremy and Joseph however stayed where they lived because they couldn't miss work.  
  
The wedding day dawned early, as I was getting married at 11am. I had the entire fourth floor to myself and my wedding party, Margaret maid of honour, Charles's cousin Joan's daughters Juliet and Veronica, Nora, Alice, Lily, Mimi, Eve, and flowergirls Grace and Joan's daughter, Esmerelda. Mum and Rae chose not to be part of the group, wanting only to watch me get married.  
  
On the third floor, Charles was busy with his groomsmen, Joan's son George, his cousins Edward, Henry and William, and his friends, Louis, Anthony, and Phillip. The best man was Joan's husband funnily enough named Charles. There were also two beautiful pageboys, in the form of Joan's youngest son, Vincent who was Grace's age and at my request Matthew, who was three months younger than Esmerelda.  
  
The first floor, everything was a rush to get the house prepared for the reception, which was to be held there, after a massive wedding at the Presbyterian Church and lunch at a very expensive hotel somewhere. Clarissa and Giles, the housekeeper and the butler were scuttling everywhere, scullery maids and everyone in a mad rush. Diana, Charles II, Mum, Patrick and my twins, occupied the second floor, as they got ready.  
  
"Let me see!" I demanded of my bridesmaids. Silk gowns the red-purple of wine, I knew would suit Margaret and my sisters, but I had been unsure of the colour on Juliet. Fortunately she had blonde hair, and shining blue eyes, and she too, looked wonderful. The dresses had short, capped sleeves and a scooped neckline. The bodices had been individually tailored to fit them, and complemented even Eve's chubby figure. The bodice finished in a v- line at the waist and from there a full skirt fell to the floor, moving softly when the wearer walked.  
  
Being younger, Alice and Veronica, who were both about 14, had different dresses. They were made in a style more common to teenagers. Their dresses were cream, and the tight sleeves reached Alice and Ronnie's elbows, with a band of the burgundy at the bottom, the bodice was not so tightly fitted with burgundy buttons down the back, they had a small collar too, that was burgundy as well. From the waist, a very full, calf-length skirt fell in the shame shade as the other dresses, showing off both Alice and Ronnie's long, slim legs.  
  
However, without a doubt, Grace and Esmerelda's dresses were the cutest. Basically the same as Alice and Ronnie's, except the skirt was cream, and shorter and had a burgundy sash around the middle. The sleeves were lace, and very short, bunched at the shoulders, there were a lot of frills and ruffles under the skirt, which made it almost stand out straight, but undeniably had both four-year-olds looking beautiful.  
  
"You look wonderful!" I kissed them all. Their hair was all done the same, buns pulled straight back, with burgundy roses arranged in a semi-circle around the top half of the bun. Alice and Ronnie, with identical long blonde curls had their hair in a ponytail tied with a burgundy ribbon that hung to the bottom of their hair, between their shoulders. Mum had curled Grace's hair so it matched Esmerelda's, and they both had wreaths in their hair.  
  
"It's very nearly time you got ready." Margaret warned.  
  
"Oh, yes I suppose so." I laughed, and then giggled.  
  
"Well, let us see the dress." Margaret ordered. I walked into the bride's private dressing room. On a mannequin, was my absolutely breathtaking dress. It was white, and had a tight silk bodice, with white flowers embroidered all over. It had a high neck, no sleeves and everything above the breasts was lace, so it was prettily revealing. I had no idea how many layers there were to the skirt, all I knew was there was a lot. The top layer was open in front; revealing layer after layer of beautiful lace, and around the edge of this layer, tiny little diamantes sparkled in the morning light. The dress laced up in the back, so it would complement my slim and slightly pregnant figure, there was also a long train that would sweep behind me when I walked.  
  
"Wow!" Alice gasped breathlessly. "It's beautiful Annie."  
  
"As beautiful as you my darling." I smiled at her. There was a knock at the door then, and Clarissa apologetically poked her head in.  
  
"I'm terribly sorry to interrupt Miss Anne, but there is a visitor downstairs, I did tell him to go, but he requested that he see you. It's a Mr Pierce, will you see him?"  
  
"Yes I will Clarissa, thankyou. Bring him up here, I can't go down in this." I was wearing a lace up slip that was in effect, a corset, I didn't need it, but it was part of the dress.  
  
"Yes Miss." She bobbed a curtsey and disappeared.  
  
"Someone find my robe, and I suggest you make yourselves scarce ladies, if you don't want him to see you before the wedding." I said as Margaret helped me into my robe. They disappeared into the library and in a minute or two Clarissa and Hawkeye reappeared.  
  
"Thankyou Clarissa, call me in five minutes please." The maid nodded and left.  
  
"Annie you look wonderful!" Hawkeye said, sincerely I could tell.  
  
"What are you here for? I know you were invited to the wedding, but why have you come, here, to see me before the ceremony?" I asked.  
  
"Because Anne, I wanted to let you know privately how happy I am for you and how I hope that everything goes well. I always knew he loved you Anne, and to that, I hope you're very happy. I may have been cold, uninterested, even rude about it, but I am happy for you, very happy, you have my blessing."  
  
"Thankyou Hawkeye, I'm glad you feel that way." I smiled. "I really have to get ready, it's going to take a while to get into my dress, and I have yet to finish my hair." I had had my hair cut a little and it was currently in curlers just to get it all going the same way.  
  
"Good luck, I'll see you at the church, do I sit with the bride or groom?"  
  
"Tell him war buddy, the 4077th have their own spot near the front." I grinned, and accepted a warm hug. "Now get out of here. The twins are with Mum and Diana on the second floor if you want to see them." Clarissa came in then, announcing that we had been five minutes and Hawkeye left.  
  
"Let's do the hair." Margaret slowly let out the curls, so they hung down my back. Then she scooped the top up with a comb and fastened a tiara that I had been asked to wear as it was a Winchester heirloom, in the hair, the rest fell freely down my back to my shoulder blades. It was a simple and pretty hairstyle, which suited the dress.  
  
"Please Miss Anne, Mrs Winchester wants you to know that there is half an hour before you have to leave." Clarissa informed us quietly. "And if I may take the liberty to speak freely, your hair looks wonderful."  
  
"Thankyou Clarissa," I smiled warmly at her.  
  
"I think, that meant we'd better get you into a dress and made up." Margaret said with a smile. Carefully, and slowly I was dressed, taking pains not to muss my hair, which was easily redone, but currently looking perfect and on no guarantee to do so if restyled. Mimi a very talented girl then made everyone up, as the cars for the men arrived. Our cars were only a minute or two away. Margaret lastly fixed the veil, a huge thing, that trailed on the ground, and in front covered my face enough to leave my identity a mystery.  
  
"Can I have lick stick too?" Grace asked, tugging gently on my skirt.  
  
"Yes, and you too Esmerelda." I bent and carefully applied pale pink to their lips, it was lighter than the burgundy that everyone else had, but the right shade for their little mouths.  
  
"Gloves!" Margaret shouted at me. Hurriedly I donned the elbow-length white gloves. My bridesmaids were also wearing the same gloves, and all in all, we looked a very beautiful and elegant wedding party.  
  
"Your families just left for church Miss Anne, it is twenty past ten and your cars should be here any minute, so I suggest you should wait downstairs, the men have all gone, there is no risk of anyone seeing you."  
  
"Thankyou, come on ladies." Carefully we made our way down the four flights of stairs, the cars arrived only a second later and with blessings from all the staff, Margaret, myself, Grace and Esmerelda climbed in one car, while Mimi, Eve, Nora, Alice, and Ronnie got in the other.  
  
We arrived at the church in plenty of time, where Margaret performed last- minute touch-ups to my dress, generally fussing over nothing. I could hear quiet organ music playing in the background as ushers seated the guests. True to my word, there was a reserved section for the members of the 4077th just behind my family's pew.  
  
"Places!" Someone shouted and the wedding procession was put in order.. The men were all wearing identical suits, black, with a white shirt. They were wearing a burgundy waistcoat and a black tie, on top of that, a black tails jacket. Charles I knew would be wearing the same, except that his tie was a neckerchief and would be the same dark silk as his groomsmen and my bridesmaids.  
  
Grace and Vincent were in front, and were going to scatter rose petals, then Margaret and Charles (Joan's husband). Behind them, the procession would go, Nora and George, Mimi and Edward, Eve and William, Juliet and Louis, Lily and Anthony, Veronica and Henry, and Alice and Philip. I was to follow, alone, with Esmerelda and Matthew to hold up my train.  
  
Things were very nearly settled, and the march began to play when Hawkeye decided he had to do something, in a last kind gesture. There was a lot of noise and confusion, including Colonel Potter bellowing at him to behave, and the doors in front of us opened and Hawkeye ran out and stood beside me.  
  
"I have Charles's permission to give you away, if you don't mind." He added sheepishly, with a hopeful grin.  
  
"No, not at all." I said bemusedly. "You can go now." I nodded at the usher, who gave the word, and the wedding continued peacefully. In time, I arrived at the altar and Hawkeye handed me to Charles, who looked fabulous, and was smiling at me with love and pride.  
  
Somehow, we got to the 'I dos' without a worry, no one objected to the union, my twins were silent, Mum didn't cry like we'd anticipated, and without even a slight interruption, we got to the rings, and then a kiss.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present Mr and Mrs Charles Emerson Winchester III!" The church burst out in applause as Charles and I walked back down the aisle to sign the registration. After a few photos, we walked down the steps of the church amidst a confetti whirlwind and I threw my bouquet to a surprised Margaret. Charles and I climbed back into a car, we were all progressing to the hotel for lunch. Charles and I had a hotel room booked for the evening as we weren't leaving for our honeymoon until the next morning, and we would be making the big exit in the evening, but only as far as the hotel.  
  
"To Charles and Annabelle!" We'd been toasted more times than I could count already. Our lunch went on merrily, and we danced with everyone we could manage.  
  
"You look just beautiful my sweet." Charles whispered to my hair as we danced.  
  
"Thankyou Charlie dear, I must say, you look pretty fine your self." I replied with a gentle smile.  
  
"I love you my sweet." Charles murmured.  
  
"I love you too dearest." I replied with another gentle smile.  
  
The reception at the Winchesters was a private one, only a few people had been invited, the wedding party, plus Joan, my side, BJ, Peggy and kids, Trapper, Colonel and Mrs Potter, Radar and Monica and Father Mulcahy, plus a few of Charles's and now my family. The kids were having a private meal in the sitting room, whilst the adults occupied the parlour, the only children in the parlour were my twins, as I was going to be away from them for three weeks on a honeymoon as it was and I didn't want to be away from them more than I could help beforehand.  
  
"I'd like to say a few words." Charles said later, shortly before we left for the hotel. "I want to thank you all for coming, you've made it a wonderful evening. I also want to say to Annie, before you all, that my darling, I love you very much, you are the most beautiful person to have ever happened to me. I love you Annie my sweet." He kissed me at that point.  
  
"I love you too Charles. Thankyou very much for coming, I've had a wonderful evening, and I love you all." I improvised as Charles pulled me to my feet.  
  
"We have one more announcement before we leave." Charles called. "As you know, not everything goes to plan, hence, it is with much pride and love, that I announce that Anne and I shall be parents in May." A stunned clap broke out, Charles's family looking pleased, obviously hoping that I would give them the boy to carry on the Winchester title.  
  
We left for our hotel after many goodbyes for everyone and kisses for my twins who I wouldn't see until February, and once we were safe, alone in the quiet of our room, we took a few minutes alone to hold each other and just revel in the peace and quiet and realise now, that we were married. After the initial shock wore off, a very intense and passionate night followed.  
  
"No one makes me feel . . . feel like you." Charles gasped. Only a fire lit the room and we could hardly see each other, but what we could make out was enough, plus Charles and I knew each other's bodies so well we didn't need the added aid of full light.  
  
I waited until the shock waves died down before I decided to respond, accusing Charles of perhaps listening to the dirty stories BJ and Hawkeye used to enjoy telling each other after a hard day of surgery and or drinking. He neither denied nor confirmed my accusations and surreptitiously changed the subject to our honeymoon.  
  
Our honeymoon was in the Winchester Chateau, in France. His great- grandfather's brother had owned it as a young man and it had been passed down through his children. France was lovely, cold, but lovely and I found I was enjoying every minute of the holiday, with my new husband who spoiled me rotten.  
  
In the middle of it, we spent three nights in a Paris hotel. Paris was beautiful; we visited the Louvre, and the Eiffel Tower and spent our lunches, picnicking in the snow by the Seine. If I wasn't in love with France before, Paris sealed the deal, and Charles promised me we'd be back to spend our tenth wedding anniversary here, beside the Seine, where he gave me a beautiful sapphire necklace as a wedding present.  
  
"Are you enjoying yourself Anne?" Charles queried one evening. I sat on the balcony, wearing a beautiful wool and fur coat that he bought me as a gift, one of many I had received and despite my modest protests, would continue receiving as long as I was his wife.  
  
"I am Charlie dear, it's lovely. I can't bear to think of going home tomorrow."  
  
"I thought you missed the twins terribly." He chided with a soft smile.  
  
"Yes, I do, but I am having a lovely time." I replied sincerely. Ben and Felicity were now nearly eleven months old and I was missing them very much, they were staying with their father while I was away, so I was sure of their safety but I still missed them.  
  
"Well, if you come to bed Annie my love, you'll fall asleep quickly and before you know it we'll be heading home to see your babies." Charles smiled.  
  
"Charlie dear, you really are awkward in asking me to sleep with you." I turned away, studying the stars of the cold, clear night. I turned away only to hide the smile that formed immediately on my face.  
  
"Come on inside." He repeated gently, deliberately ignoring my last comment. I sighed and stood up slowly, turning to face him, and wrapping my scarf a little tighter around my neck. He reached out and took my hand drawing me gently closer to him.  
  
"I love you Charlie dear." I whispered as he wrapped his arms around me in a sweetly passionate kiss. Slowly we made our way into the room, not letting out lips part and eventually we tripped a little and landed on the settee. We paused to laugh a little at our own stupidity and then, continued kissing.  
  
We returned to America where I picked up the twins from Portland, and, once again, left the Cove for Boston. I was five months pregnant and settling in to be Mrs Winchester, and wondering exactly how I was going to like it. 


	3. Happily Ever After

Miranda's Spiel: Thanks to everyone who left reviews, and my apology for the wait!  
  
I found that I really enjoyed being a Winchester. It was kind of like a fairytale. My husband was truly Prince Charming, and lavished attention, love and gifts on me whenever the chance arose, even when I thought he couldn't find a reason, he'd come up with one to buy me flowers, or something for the baby, still 8 weeks away, or tale me out to dinner.  
  
Charles's' extended family loved me too, and delighted in paying visits to see me while I was at home with the twins. They also brought plenty of things up for the baby, and I strongly suspected that this bump, when he or she arrived was to be the most spoiled baby in all New England.  
  
"Anne I just noticed that your latest maternity dresses are looking a tad restrictive. I have some time off tomorrow afternoon, would you like to go shopping with Nora and myself?" Diana observed as I squeezed into a dress with her help. The bump was already proving difficult to dress with, and I needed help getting things over my head.  
  
"Well Diana, I could have Hawkeye bring some more of my things from the twins up next time he visits . . ." I protested hopefully, I liked being spoiled, but at the same time I sort of felt bad, as I rarely gave anything back.  
  
"Do, by all means, but you are aware that we've been invited to dinner with Elaine Montgomery this weekend, and Anne, I wouldn't like to think you felt uncomfortable." Diana meant that the Montgomery family would probably make fun of the fact that I was wearing decidedly lower-class clothes. She hadn't said directly, but Charles, both senior and junior, had been the subject of many very snide remarks about an inability to provide decently for their wives and family, and while for me they didn't make a fuss, they still felt that perhaps it was true.  
  
"Okay I will Diana, but nothing overly fancy this time. I insist." I protested, knowing full-well, they wouldn't be happy to settle for the comfy cotton dresses that I had worn with the twins.  
  
"And we really should get Annabelle some new pyjamas." Charles put in, he'd been rocking a very sleepy Ben and had just set the baby in his crib. In the corner, Nora was reading to Felicity.  
  
"Charlie, dear that was a one-off." I'd worn one of his old uniforms. Felicity had been in the bath, and swallowed some of the water accidentally. A few hours later, it had disagreed violently with her little belly, and she'd thrown up all over my remaining clean nightdress.  
  
"So?" Charles put his arms around me and bent down to kiss me. "I still like to get you plenty of new clothes."  
  
"Why?" I queried with a grin.  
  
"Because I love you, and I've never had anyone to treat like this before, and. . ." he paused and waited until he was certain Nora and Diana were occupied with my daughter, "it's expected of me." This was added in a whisper.  
  
"I would have been happy just to settle for the first reason. I love you too." I cuddled Charles as well as I could manage my belly, and his stout figure making it hard. I was dying for the day when I would be the little me again.  
  
Time passed quickly in the Winchester house, and I came to love the fact that no one expected me to work during the days. Attending the occasional function with Charles or Nora didn't count. The whole days at home meant that I was able to spend as much time with my beautiful growing babies as I wanted. They were learning to walk, little by little, Ben being the faster of the two.  
  
Sara, a nanny had been hired for me, and she was around to help me with the children whenever I needed it. I appreciated the help with two babies, but hoped that she would not try and take over with the baby when it was born. I wanted to be around my child from the very first instant, and be the one to do everything. I also wanted to gradually teach Charles more about being a parent, and looking after children.  
  
"She's getting a new tooth Charlie dear," Charles had decided that he wanted to take a far more active role in his children as babies than his parents had with him and Nora. As a result, he was practising with the twins, and trying to learn what various things meant, in this case, why Felicity was screaming at two am, with red cheeks and strands of saliva running down her chin.  
  
"See how flushed her cheeks are darling?" I pointed out as Charles tried to soothe her, "But she's not running a fever, and she's drooling a lot, there's a new tooth coming in."  
  
"What's the matter with my baby girl?" Hawkeye, who had come up with Margaret for the weekend to see the twins, had woken when Felicity had started to scream.  
  
"Teething." I explained. Hawkeye looked pained, as a doctor he'd seen many a child come through his clinic with teething problems, and knew there was little more to do than give the baby something cold to suck on and wait.  
  
"What can I do?" Charles asked, he was quite naturally concerned, but if the sight of him so lovingly holding the baby upset Hawkeye, I didn't see it.  
  
"There is a washcloth in the freezer." I explained, taking Felicity from him, and lifting her to my shoulder, my presence calmed her more, but she was still in pain. "Go get that, I'll see if she wants a feed." I was trying to wean the twins slowly, and having a lot of success, but there was still some milk available and I figured that Felicity could use the comfort.  
  
"I'll be right back." Charles left hastily, as Margaret appeared sleepy- eyed at the door.  
  
"What's wrong, she's not sickening for anything is she?" Her voice was tired, but concerned, as I sat in a chair and rocked Felicity a little bit before offering her a feed.  
  
"No, she's just cutting a new tooth, I can't work out where though, and I'm not exactly game to try and feel for it while she's in this mood, her other teeth are quite sharp!" To my relief, Felicity decided the idea of a snack was appealing and she quieted down. Charles was till moving around downstairs, looking for the washcloth.  
  
"I don't remember her crying this much when she was younger." Hawkeye said concerned, stroking her little head, in response Felicity tried to jerk her head away and screamed louder than before. It was another minute before she'd quieted enough to keep feeding.  
  
"It's quite normal. She may be a quiet baby, but she is in pain." I reassured him. "Do you mind that Charles is going to be there for her more often than you are?"  
  
"Not really." Hawkeye replied. "I mean I wish I could be there every second of the day or night, but at the same time, I know I can't change it, and I'm just glad that she's got someone who loves her and her mother as much as I do. And the same goes for Ben, I'm glad that there's still someone around who will love him just as much." At that point Felicity had gotten upset and begun to cry some more.  
  
"Here it is, I couldn't find it" Before bedtime, I'd dampened a washcloth well, and put it in the freezer. It should, I hoped, be cold and soothing enough to let Felicity go back to sleep, and let us follow.  
  
"Thanks Charlie dear." I smiled, and took the cloth, Felicity took to it quickly, and a few minutes later, very much relived, Hawkeye took his daughter from my arms and lay her down. She was sound asleep again, and quickly, we all went back to bed.  
  
"You're doing great Charlie, just remember that. . . pee fountain!" I shrieked with laughter. Ben had done it once again, fortunately, Charles had gotten the diaper over him in time.  
  
"I definitely think I prefer changing Felicity." He murmured, rubbing my belly gently. "But you wouldn't do that your daddy would you now?" He addressed the bump. In response almost, the baby kicked a little. I had to smile then. The baby seemed to respond to being talked to, and I was delighted at that.  
  
"Excuse me Miss Anne, Master Charles is on the phone for you." I looked up, Ben giving a squeak at the removal of his food-laden spoon, as I turned towards Sara. I was two weeks off giving birth and excited beyond reason.  
  
"Would you please finish feeding Ben Sara?" I handed her the spoon and took the call.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Annie, my sweet how do you feel about leaving the twins with Sara and coming to a dinner with me?"  
  
"Well, I, Charlie dear. . ." I hesitated. I was ever too keen to abandon my children for a night.  
  
"Robert Harwell and his wife have invited you and I around for dinner."  
  
"Who? Oh, Uncle Bob right?"  
  
"Right, would you come Annie?"  
  
"Of course, meet you at the hospital in an hour? I need to finish feeding the twins, and then I'll have to dress up a tad." I agreed.  
  
"Wear that Japanese silk I bought you last week. An hour will be fine, Dr Harwell doesn't get off until then anyway." We hung up, and I finished up with the twins. I no longer breastfed them, but it wouldn't be long until I was breastfeeding again.  
  
"Right this way Mrs Winchester." One of the nurses gave me a strange look as she directed me towards Charles's office. I guessed it had something to do with the fact that I had obviously been pregnant longer than I'd be married. That fact in itself was causing a fair amount of gossip, 'marriage for convenience' being high on the list.  
  
"Annie!" Charles kissed me. He didn't throw his arms around me like Hawkeye would have, but he still showed me exactly how much he cared, while taking pains not to wrinkle the Japanese silk gown I wore.  
  
"Sorry I'm late Charlie dear, Ben threw up on Nora, and he cried for twenty minutes, he's not sickening for anything though, he just ate too much."  
  
"Never mind, we're to drive to Dr and Mrs Harwell's house." We left, and arrived at the Harwell house in about fifteen minutes. They were a lovely, albeit slightly stuffy couple, and seemed happy enough to meet me.  
  
"So Charles, tell us about when you met Annie." Mrs Harwell asked.  
  
"The first time I saw her, she was smiling to light up even the darkest of dark, and she grabbed the nearest two people in the tightest hug she could manage. I saw then, from the way everyone greeted her, that this woman was not only beautiful, but important and that if I ever hurt her, not that that thought ever crossed my mind, but should I ever do that, I'd have everyone, probably even the patients to answer to. About the same time I realised that she was rapidly scoring grooves across my heart, I realised she was Hawkeye's girl."  
  
"My former husband." I added, Mrs Harwell nodded understanding.  
  
"I couldn't touch her, that gold band meant she was never a possibility. So, like the fool I was, I acted in the most opposite way I could, as though I was not comfortable around her, as though I couldn't bear call her by her Christian name, as though I didn't want her by my side. I thought I had got her out of my system, and then she told me off in OR, and her determination and pride in herself as a woman had me tumbling down so hard, I knew when I hit the bottom it was going to hurt. The night Colonel Potter made us spend together was very awkward for me."  
  
"We were confined to 24hours in each other's presence." I explained. Dr Harwell chuckled.  
  
"It's sounds like a good idea, I know what you can get like Charles. How did it go?"  
  
"I didn't know how to act towards her, but as I was still falling, I acted how I felt, she quite plainly thought it was in fun, but when we woke in the morning, I knew if she wasn't the woman for me, I didn't know myself. I gave up though, I met Martine and made myself believe I was in love with her. Martine would never, could never be accepted by my family and I came to love Annie all the more. In July 53, her husband was admitted to a hospital in Tokyo, and Annabelle fell asleep with a friend on their bunk. I was asked to move her to her bunk, and when I lifted her, she shifted to lean against me more, and the feeling that she actually needed me, had me even further head over heels. Then they had a falling out and Annie and Dr Pierce divorced shortly after the end of the war."  
  
"Oh I'm sorry to hear that!" Mrs Harwell exclaimed.  
  
"Never mind." I smiled.  
  
"About this time last year, Annie came to stay with me, and I proposed, she said yes, and the rest is history, we married and very soon, she'll be having our first child." We chatted on a little longer, and just before we were to go, I tugged gently on Charles's sleeve.  
  
"Yes my sweet?" He turned gently with a smile, putting his brandy down.  
  
"Charlie, dearest, I think we'd better go, I just had a contraction."  
  
"Yes, of course." He stood up, "Thankyou Dr, Mrs Harwell, it was a lovely evening, we'll let you know how the proceedings go of course."  
  
"Yes, best of luck to you both." We were seen hurriedly out, and Charles helped me into the car.  
  
"Annabelle Winchester, you're two weeks early!" His voice bordered on panic.  
  
"Never mind that Charles, all I know is I had a contraction, and I'm assuming it's real. I've been ignoring the false labours that have occurred every day for the past week. This one was different."  
  
"I'm not arguing but, I, I don't know."  
  
"Drive Charles!" He put the car in gear and we moved off. We had to return home so I could get my bag for hospital, but in a remarkably short time I'd been propped in a delivery suite with the top obstetrician.  
  
"Mrs Winchester, you're hardly dilated, it's going to be a fair wait. I'd say your family in Portland can drive down in time." We'd called Hawkeye, Margaret and my Mum, letting them know the baby's arrival was imminent.  
  
"Thankyou." I smiled. I was pretty happy, so far, everything was going smoothly and I had been promised that Charles would be allowed in the room.  
  
"Mrs Winchester, it's obvious that you're going to have to wait at least until tomorrow. Would you prefer to go home, and wait it out there, in comfort?" However, the baby was big, and I was a little apprehensive about leaving.  
  
"Alternatively, you can be admitted to a ward, you'll have a private room, and you can wait there, and I can return in the morning. I honestly cannot see that the baby will arrive soon, your contractions are 40 minutes apart, there's really no sense in worrying."  
  
"Okay." I agreed. I was shifted to a room, where Charles sat by me. It was about 1am, and I had been in labour for 5hours when Hawkeye and Margaret arrived. They had driven very fast and arrived in no time at all.  
  
"So, how far off are you?" Margaret asked anxiously, appearing to nurse her left hand.  
  
"Hours. I'm to try to sleep. Is your hand okay?"  
  
"Yes, it's just, that, oh, I'm engaged!" Margaret's face lit up wonderfully.  
  
"Margaret Houlihan, to who?" I demanded, sitting up a little. Charles hushed me carefully. Margaret became quiet, almost sheepish at my query.  
  
"Hawkeye." She murmured, "We worked it out. Going to pick up the pieces, marry in July."  
  
"Baby in December." Hawkeye added. "We found out today."  
  
"I'm so happy to hear that!" I beamed and Charles added his congratulations.  
  
"How long before they throw us out?" Hawkeye asked.  
  
"They won't." I replied. "Let's just say Mrs Winchester holds a fair bit of power, to say nothing of the fact that Houlihan is a well-known and respected name."  
  
"And what of Pierce, that's hardly known on this side of town. How did you get me in here?" Hawkeye demanded.  
  
"Think nothing of it brother-in-law." Charles smiled. We'd said Hawkeye was my older brother. Hawkeye offered him a warm handshake and the night wore on. It was a long night, despite the fact that this wasn't my first birth, things seemed to be taking just as long.  
  
"How are we feeling this morning Mrs Winchester?"  
  
"Tired." It was 10 before the doctor reappeared, and I had been in labour for nearly 14hours. However at about 6 that morning, I'd begun to have stronger, more regular contractions and half an hour before I had started into the second stage of labour, when my waters had broken. As a result I was back in the delivery room, with Hawkeye and Margaret outside, and Charles holding my hand tightly.  
  
"Never mind, we'll have this baby out of you soon, you're fully dilated and effaced, so you'll be fine. Okay, I just want to wait until the contractions are somewhat more frequent, and then we'll really start things moving."  
  
"Good." I replied, trying not to be rude, I was exhausted and the sooner I could hold my baby and sleep, the better.  
  
Half an hour later, our beautiful daughter arrived into the world. There was a fair degree of surprise, as we'd all hoped the baby would be a boy and had referred to the growing bump as 'he' for a long time.  
  
""She's beautiful, just perfect." Charles was effectively besotted. I didn't blame him. She had her daddy's eyes and his hair, or lack thereof, she was completely bald, but it didn't take an ounce away from her beauty.  
  
"She is, isn't she?" I agreed. "Names?" We'd never really talked names, taking it for granted that I'd produce a Charles IV.  
  
"What about Charlotte?" Charles suggested the pretty female diminutive of Charles.  
  
"What if we have a boy? We can't very well have a Charles and Charlotte."  
  
"What if we don't?" Charles replied, then smiled. "What about Rosalinde or Miranda, something Shakespearian?"  
  
"I don't know." I said, "Though Miranda Rose sounds pretty, I don't like Miranda Winchester much."  
  
"Point taken Annie my dear." Charles kissed my forehead, still cradling his hour-old daughter. "What about Rose, or Rosalyn?"  
  
"I like Rosalyn, but either way, let's get Margaret and Hawkeye in here, all they know is the baby arrived ok.." In a few minutes my very proud friends were admiring my beautiful baby.  
  
"What a beautiful boy, looks just like his daddy, I see. Welcome to the world Charles." Hawkeye was admiring the baby, and gently extracted her from Charles's arms so that he could hold the baby.  
  
"Umm, Hawkeye. . ." Margaret had checked the charts and discovered I had not had a boy. "I think that you'd better think twice before addressing the baby as Charles. You don't want to give her any gender complexes do you now?" Hawkeye's eyes flicked to Margaret, then my beaming face, then to Charles, and finally to the sleeping baby. He carefully lay her down on the bed, unwrapped her blankets and peered into her diaper.  
  
"Oh, I see. . ." He had the good grace to blush as he rewrapped the baby.  
  
"She's a Winchester alright!" Hawkeye said, rocking the sleepy infant. "Not a hair on her head."  
  
"Have you picked a name yet?" Margaret asked, her finger was squeezed tightly in a small pink fist. She had my hands, small and delicate, with longish thin fingers.  
  
"Not really. Rosalyn is the only name we've liked so far. We liked Miranda, but it doesn't go with Winchester."  
  
"Let's see," Hawkeye lifted the baby to his eye level and studied her. "She looks like a Gertrude to me." I screwed up my nose. He normally picked nice baby names. Hawkeye saw the look and made amends.  
  
"Okay, seriously, she looks like an Amanda to me, it means 'worthy of love' and she deserves it."  
  
"Keep that name Ben dear." I smiled. After Katharine, Amanda was Hawkeye's favourite girl's name.  
  
"Well, she looks like a Rosalyn to me." Margaret said. "And I'm sure whatever beautiful name you choose as a middle name, will suit her just as nicely." Margaret was right, and we came up with Rosalyn Marie a few minutes later. We announced the name, and as I sat there, with my beautiful daughter, loving husband, proud friends, and a few minutes later, thrilled, admiring family members, I realised that I was truly, blissfully happy, and there didn't seem to be anything that could change it.  
  
I was right, I remained wonderfully happy with Charles. When Rosalyn was three months old, we went up to the Cove to watch Margaret and Hawkeye wed. I went back up in December to see their daughter Katharine Annabelle born. Three more children followed, Amanda Louise in 1956, Daniel Alvin in 1959 and Isabelle Rose in 1961.  
  
Charles and I had more children too, when Rosalyn was three years old, I gave birth to her twin sisters, Honoria Dianne and Annabelle Jeanne, two beautiful identical blonde babies and broke my family's tradition of one of each. When in 1960 I gave birth to another girl, we pretty much gave up on having a boy, but didn't christen our daughter Charlotte, opting for Martine Elizabeth instead. As a result, we were pretty surprised and pleased when after the promised tenth anniversary celebration in France I produced our fifth and final child, Charles Emerson Winchester IV in late 1965.  
  
I'd been given everything I wanted; a fantastic home, a loving husband, and five beautiful children. It was still like a fairytale, with me as the princess. And as with all fairytales, I really did live happily ever after. 


End file.
